Rate of 2-Year-Olds Immunized Jumps 56% in Six Years

August is National Immunization Awareness Month — and the latest immunization rates reported on the KIDS COUNT Data Center indicate that there’s cause to celebrate. That’s because 75% of 2-year-olds across the country were immunized in 2015.

This statistic, which represents the most recent full year of data available, is a drastic improvement from 2009, when just 48% of 2-year-olds were immunized.

At the state level, immunization rates range from a low of 65% in West Virginia to a high of 84% in Connecticut. Seven states total — Delaware, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota and Connecticut — have hit or surpassed the 80% mark for immunizing 2-year-olds.

As a new school year approaches, parents across the nation are working to ensure that their children’s vaccinations are up to date. Many schools require their students to be fully immunized become coming to class. The science supporting this mandate is clear: The right vaccinations at the right time help protect children against severe illnesses while yielding long-term benefits, such as improved school attendance and reduced family stress. Timely vaccinations are also important to maintaining a community’s health, according to research.

Learn more health data — at the state and national level — by visiting the KIDS COUNT Data Center: